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Union minister Ananth Kumar dies of lung cancer

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Press Trust of India Bengaluru
Last Updated : Nov 12 2018 | 9:45 PM IST

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital here in the early hours of Monday after battling lung cancer for several months, hospital authorities said.

The 59-year-old Bangalore South MP breathed his last around 2 am at the Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre where he was under care after returning home in October following treatment in the US and Britain.

His wife Tejaswini and two daughters -- Aishwarya and Vijetha -- were by his side, B R Nagaraj, the chairman of the board of trustees of the Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation that runs the hospital, told PTI.

There was no official bulletin from the hospital.

The Union minister, who passed away from complications following cancer and infection, had been on the ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit for the last few days, Kumar's office here said in a statement.

The mortal remains of Kumar were kept at his residence here Monday where a large number of people paid their homage. The last rites will be performed Tuesday, the Karnataka unit of the BJP said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in here from Varanasi and drove straight to the residence of Kumar at Basavanagudi and paid his last respects to his colleague by placing a wreath.

Modi spoke of words of comfort to Tejaswini and the two daughters during his 15-minute visit.

The body will be taken to the state BJP office and the National College ground, which falls in his constituency, before the funeral at Chamarajapete crematorium in the afternoon, the BJP said.

The national flag will fly at half mast throughout the country on Monday as a mark of respect to Kumar, the Home Ministry announced in Delhi.

The Karnataka government has declared three-day state mourning and a holiday on Monday as a mark of respect to the leader, who was groomed in the RSS stable before the stupendous rise in his political career graph.

A steady stream of BJP leaders, relatives, family friends, party workers and people made a beeline at Kumar's residence to pay homage to the "most-loved" Bengaluru MP, known for his affability and cordial ties with rivals.

Besides BJP President Amit Shah, Union Ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal, would pay homage Tuesday, party sources said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan and union ministers Prakash Javadekar, J P Nadda and Vijay Goel paid their last repects Monday.

Foraying into politics in 1987, Kumar became a Union minister in the Vajpayee cabinet in 1998 when he was only 38.

He remained in the inner circle of the central leadership of the BJP -- be it during the heyday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Modi now.

He served as an important link between the central and state units of the party.

President Ram Nath Kovind, the prime minister, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and leaders across the political spectrum condoled the death the six-time MP.

The President said,"This is a tragic loss to public life in our country and particularly for the people of Karnataka.My condolences to his family, colleagues and countless associates."
Rahul Gandhi, his message, said: "I'm sorry to hear about the passing of Union Minister, Shri Ananth Kumar ji, in Bengaluru, earlier this morning. My condolences to his family & friends. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti."

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First Published: Nov 12 2018 | 9:45 PM IST

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